Republican Primaries

[bowdirk]

Who do you all think is gonna win the Republican primary and why?

Is Rick Perry in?

Now is the time to pay attention to what their positions are, not after the Primaries where whoever it is has traditionally (maybe not this time) swung to the middle for the general election.

cheers,
Bowdirk

[bowdirk]

Longgggg bio about Michelle:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...urrentPage=all

-Bowdirk

[Mark E. Hurling]

Rick Perry may get in, but he's ultimately doomed no matter what. First he's another Texan. No more of them for a while I think, after Bush. It doesn't make the slightest difference how good he might be, he's got the taint on him. Secondly, he's already being bled by the Mainstream media by the death of a thousand cuts for participating in a prayer and fasting event this past weekend. Never mind that Lincoln instituted these during the Civil War, Perry's now a taliban-style religious fanatic. It's a pity too, because he has said and done some of the right things in the last year or so, but wrong timing for him.

Ah, Chris Christy. If only. Now there's a guy who has the courage to say what needs to be said and then go do it. If he could take on the entrenched problems in New Jersey, and face down teachers, public employee mavens, and NYC media with the aplomb he has shown so far, look out DC! But he's not going to go for it this time around. Pity.

[bowdirk]

Do you think if Perry gets in he ends up splitting up some of Michelle Bachmans base making it easier for Romney to win a few states? I am having a hard time guessing who will actually end up being the Republican Candidate. Seems wide open so far.

[Mark E. Hurling]

If Perry does, he will definitely take some of Bachman's votes. It's wrong, but the reality is that people are more inclined to support a man than a woman, and Obama's defeat of Hilary in the 2008 primaries proves it. Also, Bachman is being painted with the crazy brush more all the time just look at a recent cover photo of her on Newsweek for instance. Perry's treatment in this manner is still in the formative stages as I alluded to already, but he could get a tsunami of it to put them both on the same footing in a month or so.

I have had and still do have some reservations about Romney given some of his more liberal stances, but I think he is the most electable, and way more vibrant than Pawlenty. Even though Pawlenty seems to have thrown off the worst of his Ambien aura a month or so back. Given the tanking the market has been having today, it can only make Romney's business acumen stand out in stark relief especially when compared to the speech earlier today by POTUS. I watched the DOW drop like one of Frank Luntz's interactive audience graph lines when Obama spoke. He just doesn't get that the dropping of the rating was because not enough spending was cut. Such a thing cannot be in his universe of ideas and so it doesn't exist. He's back to tax reform (increases) again despite the message from the raters.

[tertius]

If Perry does, he will definitely take some of Bachman's votes. It's wrong, but the reality is that people are more inclined to support a man than a woman, and Obama's defeat of Hilary in the 2008 primaries proves it. Also, Bachman is being painted with the crazy brush more all the time just look at a recent cover photo of her on Newsweek for instance. Perry's treatment in this manner is still in the formative stages as I alluded to already, but he could get a tsunami of it to put them both on the same footing in a month or so.

I have had and still do have some reservations about Romney given some of his more liberal stances, but I think he is the most electable, and way more vibrant than Pawlenty. Even though Pawlenty seems to have thrown off the worst of his Ambien aura a month or so back. Given the tanking the market has been having today, it can only make Romney's business acumen stand out in stark relief especially when compared to the speech earlier today by POTUS. I watched the DOW drop like one of Frank Luntz's interactive audience graph lines when Obama spoke. He just doesn't get that the dropping of the rating was because not enough spending was cut. Such a thing cannot be in his universe of ideas and so it doesn't exist. He's back to tax reform (increases) again despite the message from the raters.

You do know that the report explaining the ratings decrease actually included failing to generate revenue as part of the reason for the downgrade? It also included the fact that the Bush tax cuts will probably not expire (due to Republican recalcitrance) as a negative. So no, it's not just because not enough cuts were made. Revenue has to be increased as well. Obama knows it, the mainstream republicans know it, most Americans know it, the stock market knows it, the ratings agencies know it, the WTO knows it. This is not rocket surgery.

On topic, Romney seems pretty likely to come out on top. I don't care what MEH says, Bachmann is a crazy. Perry was talking about seceding from the Union, at one point. It's possible that Bachmann might come out on top, but there's no way in hell she'd beat Obama. She'd get annihilated. Romney might have a shot, though. He'll probably not get a certain percentage of the Tea Party types, but far more independents will go for him. Could be a good year for a Republican Jimmy Carter, though.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I don't care what MEH says, Bachmann is a crazy.

Yup, any woman who provided a home for 23 foster children is a real nut case. She should have let the government warehouse them in juvenile hall. That comment is really unworthy of you. If you want to premise your remarks on her mis-statements by all means do so. But I'll bet she knows there are only 50 states, something the current occupant of the White House misspoke on during the 2008 campaign. You want to compare lists of flubs? She at least did more than vote "present" repeatedly in her capacity as a legislator. Having said all that, she is not likely electable because of sexism among independents moreso than republicans.

[tertius]

Yup, any woman who provided a home for 23 foster children is a real nut case. She should have let the government warehouse them in juvenile hall. That comment is really unworthy of you. If you want to premise your remarks on her mis-statements by all means do so. But I'll bet she knows there are only 50 states, something the current occupant of the White House misspoke on during the 2008 campaign. You want to compare lists of flubs? She at least did more than vote "present" repeatedly in her capacity as a legislator. Having said all that, she is not likely electable because of sexism among independents moreso than republicans.

I know she's devout, and all that. And I don't care about her flubs. I care about her not believing the president is a US citizen. i care about the fact that she actually spend time drafting a Bill to stop the US from adopting an international currency. I care about the fact that she thinks gays can be 'cured' with prayer. I care about the fact that she and her allies promote a line of rhetoric and policy that makes life a lot harder for a lot of kids (see here, I'm sure you'll say liberal media, but whatevs). She's a whack job, and I will be delighted to see her political hopes ground into a fine powder by the millstone of American common sense.

[mstrofbass]

I would do anything to get Perry out of the Governor's Mansion in Austin, except for let him run the United States.

[coreJack]

I haven't been following this, but does the only candidate who has a clue not have a chance as usual? Of course I am referring to Ron Paul.